Presently, one of the most serious illnesses facing the world is the viral infection, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). This infection is caused by a virus, designated HIV, or one of its variants. These contain RNA which is coated with a protein shell. The virus affects the T-cells (lymphocytes) of the body as well as other immune-oriented cells (i.e., glial cells in the brain). This effect results in a serious reduction of the body's immunological ability to fight disease and the various bacterial, viral and fungal entities which constantly are in the environment. The fact that a virus becomes a part of cells themselves makes it difficult to affect them adversely without harm to the host. Current methods of treatment involve the use of chemotherapeutic agents. AZT is one choice, but the side-effects are very significant.
The AIDS virus causes problems in an infected individual through the production of alterations in the cell function. These alterations are produced through the interaction of the virus and subcellular components, nuclear protein being one example.
A method of treatment of the virus and vital-infected cells is clearly desirable. To be completely successful, the treatment should kill the invading organism while causing substantially no harm to host tissue. Also, a treatment should produce little or no chance for the organism being treated to become tolerant or resistant to the treatment method.
One method applied to organisms in general, including viruses, is to focus upon a particular aspect of the infectious organism's metabolism which differs from that of the host cells. Rather than interfering with cellular pathways as antibiotics do, this method exploits the organism's routine use of that pathway in such a way that it may be turned against the organism, thus killing it. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,922 of R. T. Gordon. However, it is not disclosed that this method is applicable to HIV and related viruses.
This invention relates, inter alia, to a method of treating the AIDS virus, HIV and related organisms (e.g., HTLV and others), or cells infected therewith, comprising providing said organisms and/or cells with minute, inductively heatable, intracellularly localizable particles of a size less than 1 micron and inductively heating said particles by the application of an alternating electromagnetic field (or oscillating or pulsed) for a period of time sufficient to effect a rise in intracellular temperature to a minimum necessary to kill the infectious organisms. Independent investigators have determined that it requires a temperature of approximately 60.degree. C. for a period of 30 minutes to incapacitate or kill the HIV virus. (Spire et al., The Lancet, Jan. 26, 1985, 188; P. Collinson et al., Ann. Clin. Blochem. 1986, 23:102; and Houssein et al., Clinical Chemistry, Vol. 31, No. 12, 1985). This invention readily achieves this selectivity without heating the entire body to this intolerable temperature. In addition to raising HIV temperature to a given level for a time sufficient to kill the virus, the temperature can be raised to a level for a time sufficient to cauterize it. Other temperature levels/times, e.g., sufficient to inactivate the virus can be used also.
The particles best suited for this treatment are pharmacologically acceptable ferromagnetic, paramagnetic, including superparamagnetic, or diamagnetic particles, e.g., suspended e.g., colloidally, in a liquid vehicle. These possess magnetic properties uniquely suited for treatment and diagnostic regimens. Many such particles are disclosed in R. T. Gordon's U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,106,488; 4,136,683; 4,303,636, 4,569,836, 4,731,239, 4,735,796 and 4,590,922, all of which disclosures are fully incorporated by reference herein.
These particles may be selected from ferromagnetic, paramagnetic or diamagnetic inorganic elements and compounds as well as organic compounds such as metal dextran complexes, metal-containing prosthetic groups, transport or storage proteins and the like. The invention may utilize particles exogenously supplied to the infected cells or viral organisms, or particles which are endogenous to the infected cells, e.g., in the form of one of the above-mentioned elements or compounds. The treatment is particularly useful for HIV virus or HIV virus infected cells.